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15 new NHS hospital developments worth more than £4 billion

The announcement will bring investment in new NHS hospitals to more than £16 billion since 1997. The NHS is already well on course to meet the NHS Plan target of 100 new hospital schemes open to patients by 2010. More than 40 are already built and operational.

29 Jul 2004

Report on human health effects of genetically engineered food

Alan McHughen, a University of California, Riverside, biotechnologist and geneticist in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences is a member of a committee that issued a report today recommending how agencies should regulate genetically engineered foods to avoid unintended human health problems.

29 Jul 2004

At last it appears that the government is trading in desks for beds

Australian Medical Association NSW President Dr John Gullotta said today’s sweeping changes to NSW hospital bureaucracy meant, “at last it appears that the government is trading in desks for beds.”

29 Jul 2004

Federal agencies should assess the safety of genetically altered foods, whether produced by genetic engineering or by other techniques

Federal agencies should assess the safety of genetically altered foods -- whether produced by genetic engineering or by other techniques, such as conventional breeding for desirable traits -- on a case-by-case basis to determine whether unintended changes in their composition could adversely affect human health, says a new report from the National Academies' National Research Council and Institute of Medicine.

29 Jul 2004

IVF pioneer wins international recognition

Monash in vitro fertilisation pioneer Professor Alan Trounson has been awarded the 2004 Bertarelli Foundation Award in Reproductive Health for his outstanding contribution to the field of assisted reproductive technologies.

29 Jul 2004

Médecins Sans Frontières pulls out of Afghanistan

With a deep feeling of sadness and anger Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has announced the closure of all medical programs in Afghanistan.

29 Jul 2004

Corus Pharma selected as a biotech company to watch

Corus Pharma announced yesterday that it has been selected as a member of FierceBiotech's annual "The Fierce 15." FierceBiotech Editor-in-Chief John D. Carroll observed "We applaud Corus' ongoing commitment to increasing the quality of life for people living with cystic fibrosis."

29 Jul 2004

Seaweed called hijiki should not be eaten due to high levels of arsenic

The Food Standards Agency is advising people not to eat a type of seaweed called hijiki because of the high levels of arsenic that it contains.

29 Jul 2004

FDA did NOT find purified ricin in two baby food jars in Irvine

Contrary to the impression given by some early reports, FDA did NOT find purified ricin in two baby food jars involved in an apparent tampering case in the Irvine, California area.

29 Jul 2004

AMA (WA) welcomes Australian Government waiting list promise.

The Australian Medical Association (WA) today welcomed the commitment by Health Minister Jim McGinty to include all public hospitals, including Joondalup and Peel, on the state's elective surgery wait list.

29 Jul 2004

Launch of new Australian Medicare smartcard

The new Australian Medicare smartcard was launched in Launceston, Tasmania this week.

29 Jul 2004

GP leader supports new money to modernise GP surgeries

News of an extra £108 million to fund primary care premises is seen by the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC) leaders as a welcome recognition by the Department of Health for England, that if GPs are to lead the way in modernising patient care they need improved surgeries to work in.

29 Jul 2004

New mobile safety center hits the streets of Baltimore

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and the Baltimore City Fire Department are launching the Johns Hopkins CARES Mobile Safety Center to keep children safe from unintentional injury, which is the leading cause of death for children nationwide.

28 Jul 2004

Case for smoke-free work and public places

An economic case for smoke-free work and public places is being made today in an independent report from the Chief Medical Officer.

28 Jul 2004

Eradicating deadly E. coli O157:H7 from the bottoms of cows may prevent future outbreaks of food poisoning

According to an article in the August 2004 issue Microbiology Today, the quarterly magazine of the Society for General Microbiology, the majority of people with E. coli O157:H7, picked up the infection from cattle, either through direct contact with faeces or by consuming contaminated meat or milk.

28 Jul 2004

US adults spent an average of three days a month feeling sad

US adults spent an average of three days a month feeling “sad, blue, or depressed” during 1995-2000, according to a study published today in Health and Quality of Life Outcomes.

28 Jul 2004

PAHO and UNICEF to work jointly in disasters, immunization campaigns, prevention of HIV, and monitoring nutrition

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and UNICEF have signed an agreement that intensifies the ties between the two institutions to work jointly in disasters, immunization campaigns, prevention of HIV, and monitoring nutrition.

27 Jul 2004

Ozone loss caused genetic mutations at time of mass extinction

Research into the world’s worst mass extinction, which led to the loss of 90 per cent of living species 250 million years ago, has found that the historical tragedy also involved some disturbing genetics mutations.

27 Jul 2004

Bill Clinton lends support to Kerry, citing health care

Bill Clinton has leant his support to John Kerry at the Democratic Convention being held this week in Boston. The former U. S. President cited health care as a major Kerry concern.

27 Jul 2004

McGuinty government investing an additional $469.5 million to operate Ontario's hospitals

The McGuinty government is supporting quality health care in Ontario by investing an additional $469.5 million to operate Ontario's hospitals - an increase of 4.3 per cent over last year, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today. Hospitals will receive a total of $11.3 billion in 2004/05.

27 Jul 2004